JP2023103085A - Underwater wireless communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a device capable of achieving wireless communication underwater.SOLUTION: An underwater wireless communication device includes a host device 1 configured to transmit radio waves and an underwater device 2 configured to receive the radio waves. The host device 1 and the underwater device 2 include directional underwater antennas 21, 22, respectively, configured to transmit and receive beam-shaped radio waves.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a technology for wireless communication between devices such as a submersible device installed underwater, an underwater mobile object that moves underwater, or a ship floating on the surface of the water, and more particularly to an underwater antenna suitable for transmitting and receiving radio waves underwater.

Underwater devices such as underwater robots and underwater drones that operate underwater generally communicate with host devices located on land or water. For example, a controller as a host device sends an operation signal for operating the underwater robot to the underwater robot, and the underwater robot operates upon receiving the operation signal. In another example, an underwater robot generates an image of an underwater object and sends the image to a host device on land or water.

JP 2018-205552 A

If one or both of the underwater device and the host device are mobile, the communication is preferably in the form of wireless communication from the viewpoint of reducing movement restrictions. However, radio waves in the GHz band, which are widely used in society, are severely attenuated in water and cannot be used for communication. Therefore, wireless communication in a low frequency band is considered effective, but the current situation is that no device has been established for realizing wireless communication underwater.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a device capable of realizing wireless communication underwater.

In one aspect, there is provided an underwater wireless communication device comprising a host device configured to transmit radio waves and an underwater device configured to receive radio waves, said host device and said underwater device each comprising a directional underwater antenna configured to transmit and receive beams of radio waves.

In one aspect, the directional underwater antenna is submerged in water.
In one aspect, said directional underwater antenna is one of a parabolic antenna, a corner reflector antenna and a phased array antenna.
In one aspect, the host device and the underwater device each comprise an adjustment device for adjusting the orientation of the directional underwater antenna.
In one aspect, the underwater wireless communication device further includes at least one relay device disposed between the host device and the underwater device, the relay device having a plurality of directional underwater antennas for transmitting and receiving the radio waves.
In one aspect, the host device is configured to transmit radio waves at frequencies within a band of 50-500 MHz.

According to the present invention, beam-like radio waves are transmitted and received to and from a directional underwater antenna with high directivity. Beam-like radio waves are difficult to attenuate in water and easily propagate in water. Therefore, underwater wireless communication can be realized. Furthermore, since the beam-like radio wave has high directivity, it is possible to ensure confidentiality of the information superimposed on the radio wave.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an underwater wireless communication device; FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of an underwater wireless communication device;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an underwater wireless communication device. As shown in FIG. 1, the underwater wireless communication device includes a host device 1 and an underwater device 2. The host device 1 is configured to transmit radio waves with a frequency within the band of 50-500 MHz, and the underwater device 2 is configured to receive radio waves with a frequency within the band of 50-500 MHz.

The host device 1 has an oscillator 5, a modulator 6, an amplifier 7 and a waterproof casing 8 surrounding these components. If the host device 1 is arranged on a ship, the waterproof casing 8 may be omitted. The underwater device 2 includes a tuner 12, an amplifier 13, a demodulator 14, and a waterproof casing 15 surrounding these components. However, the components of the host device 1 and the underwater device 2 are not limited to this embodiment. In one embodiment, the host device 1 is configured to transmit and receive radio waves with frequencies within the band 50-500 MHz, and the underwater device 2 is also configured to transmit and receive radio waves with frequencies within the band 50-500 MHz.

The host device 1 is placed underwater or on the water surface, and the underwater device 2 is placed underwater. Examples of the underwater device 2 include underwater robots, underwater drones, and underwater imaging devices. Examples of the host device 1 include a controller that controls the operation of the underwater device 2, an image display device that displays an image sent from the underwater device 2, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the host device 1 is arranged inside a ship 17 and is movable. The underwater device 2 shown in FIG. 1 is also a movable body provided with a propulsion device 18 such as a screw propeller.

In this embodiment, radio waves used in the underwater wireless communication device are radio waves having a frequency within the band of 50 to 500 MHz. Radio waves in this frequency band have the advantage of not being easily attenuated in water. The frequency of radio waves is appropriately determined according to the use of the underwater wireless communication device. For example, in the case of communication with a small amount of information but requiring robustness, radio waves on the low frequency side within the above band are selected. In another example, when the amount of information such as images is large but the distance between the host device 1 and the underwater device 2 is short, radio waves on the high frequency side within the above band are selected.

The host device 1 further has a directional underwater antenna 21 and the underwater device 2 further has a directional underwater antenna 22 . Directional underwater antenna 21 and directional underwater antenna 22 are submerged in water. The directional underwater antenna 21 and the directional underwater antenna 22 are highly directional antennas. More specifically, the directional underwater antenna 21 and the directional underwater antenna 22 are configured to emit beam-shaped radio waves, and are configured to be able to transmit and receive beam-shaped radio waves. Directional underwater antenna 21 and directional underwater antenna 22 are any of parabolic antennas, corner reflector antennas, and phased array antennas.

The host device 1 further comprises a first adjusting device 31 for adjusting the orientation of the directional underwater antenna 21 and the underwater device 2 further comprises a second adjusting device 32 for adjusting the orientation of the directional underwater antenna 22 . In one embodiment, first adjustment device 31 includes a multi-axis actuator configured to steer directional underwater antenna 21 in multiple directions. The second adjustment device 32 similarly includes a multi-axis actuator configured to steer the directional underwater antenna 22 in multiple directions. Since the structure of the multi-axis actuator itself is well known, its detailed description will be omitted.

The first adjustment device 31 is configured to direct the directional underwater antenna 21 towards the directional underwater antenna 22 of the underwater device 2 . The second adjustment device 32 is similarly configured to direct the directional underwater antenna 22 toward the directional underwater antenna 21 of the host device 1 . Therefore, the cooperation of the first adjustment device 31 and the second adjustment device 32 allows the directional underwater antenna 21 and the directional underwater antenna 22 to face each other.

According to this embodiment, beam-shaped radio waves are transmitted and received between the directional underwater antenna 21 and the directional underwater antenna 22 with high directivity. Beam-like radio waves are difficult to attenuate in water and easily propagate in water. Therefore, underwater wireless communication can be realized. Furthermore, since the beam-like radio wave has high directivity, it is possible to ensure confidentiality of the information superimposed on the radio wave.

Signals transmitted and received between the host device 1 and the underwater device 2 by radio waves selected from a band of 50 to 500 MHz may be analog signals or digital signals.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the underwater wireless communication device may further comprise at least one relay device 35 arranged between the host device 1 and the underwater device 2 . The relay device 35 is arranged underwater. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, three relay devices 35 are arranged underwater, but the number of relay devices 35 is not limited to this embodiment.

Each repeater 35 has a plurality of directional underwater antennas 36 for transmitting and receiving radio waves. Each repeater 35 is configured to receive radio waves with one of a plurality of directional underwater antennas 36 and transmit radio waves from the other directional underwater antennas 36 . Each directional underwater antenna 36 has the same configuration as the directional underwater antenna 21 and the directional underwater antenna 22 described above. That is, the directional underwater antenna 36 is one of a parabolic antenna, a corner reflector antenna, and a phased array antenna.

Each repeater 35 has a plurality of adjusting devices 37 for adjusting the orientations of the plurality of directional underwater antennas 36, respectively. Each adjustment device 37 is configured to direct a directional underwater antenna 36 to a directional underwater antenna of either the host device 1 , another relay device 35 , or the underwater device 2 . Radio waves transmitted from the host device 1 reach the underwater device 2 via the relay device 35 . Similarly, radio waves emitted from the underwater device 2 reach the host device 1 via the relay device 35 . According to this embodiment, the distance between the host device 1 and the underwater device 2 can be increased.

The above-described embodiments are described for the purpose of enabling a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs to implement the present invention. Various modifications of the above embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art, and the technical idea of the present invention can be applied to other embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but is to be construed in its broadest scope in accordance with the technical spirit defined by the claims.

1 Host Device 2 Underwater Device 5 Oscillator 6 Modulator 7 Amplifier 8 Waterproof Casing 12 Tuner 13 Amplifier 14 Demodulator 15 Waterproof Casing 17 Ship 18 Propulsion Device 21 Directional Underwater Antenna 22 Directional Underwater Antenna 31 First Adjustment Device 32 Second Adjustment Device 35 Relay Device 36 Directional Underwater Antenna 37 Adjustment Device

Claims (6)

An underwater wireless communication device,
a host device configured to transmit radio waves;
comprising an underwater device configured to receive radio waves;
An underwater wireless communication device, wherein the host device and the underwater device each comprise a directional underwater antenna configured to transmit and receive beams of radio waves. 2. An underwater radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein said directional underwater antenna is submerged in water. 3. The underwater radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein said directional underwater antenna is one of a parabolic antenna, a corner reflector antenna and a phased array antenna. 4. An underwater radio communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of said host device and said underwater device comprises an adjustment device for adjusting the orientation of said directional underwater antenna. further comprising at least one relay device positioned between the host device and the underwater device;
5. The underwater wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein said relay device has a plurality of directional underwater antennas for transmitting and receiving said radio waves. The underwater wireless communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said host device is configured to transmit radio waves with a frequency within a band of 50-500 MHz.

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